This application claims the priority of German patent document 10 2004 015 671.9, filed Mar. 31, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a warning and information system for a motor vehicle.
Modern warning and information systems should warn the vehicle driver of hazardous situations which previously had to be recognized by the driver alone. For example, some complex ambient detection systems based on radar, infrared and/or image processing technologies have been implemented in the applicant's S-class motor vehicles, where these technologies support the longitudinal and/or transverse guidance of the vehicle through visual and/or acoustic information output.
Such warning and information systems are usually designed so that there is a warning of a hazard only when it is to be assumed that the driver has not perceived this hazard himself because otherwise the acceptance and efficacy of the warning information would be lost. With many warning systems, however, it is difficult to define a suitable point in time for the warning. First, the warning must be made early enough to ensure that the driver of the vehicle will be able to reliably handle the hazardous situation if he had not recognized it previously. Secondly, the warning should not be issued so early that a vehicle driver who has already recognized the risk and intends to respond accordingly is unnecessarily disturbed or distracted. Warning signals that are too early and/or too frequent may result in the operator's paying less attention to them over time, and important information will be lost.
German patent document DE 199 52 506 C1 solves this problem with a system for supporting an operator of a technical facility which displays information in the form of images or symbols at least once for a brief period of time in the primary field of vision of the operator, the period of time being below a conscious threshold of perception by the user and above an unconscious threshold of perception.
One object of this invention is to provide a warning and information system for a vehicle which will increase traffic reliability and support the driver of the vehicle in particular in his longitudinal and transverse guidance tasks.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the warning and information system according to the invention, which comprises at least one signal source located in the user's peripheral field of vision, whose output signals are variable by adjusting the color, intensity, frequency, timber or loudness. Since the signals are generated in the user's peripheral field of vision, more installation room in the primary field of vision of the user is available for other information tasks above a conscious threshold of perception. By varying the color, intensity, frequency, timber, or loudness of the output signals of the signal source, these output signals may be adapted to the particular situation, and corresponding actions and responses of the driver of the vehicle are prepared, thereby increasing traffic safety in an advantageous manner.
By using output signals that are below a conscious threshold of perception of the user, and above an unconscious threshold of perception, the user perceives the information on a subthreshold level without diverting his attention, and is therefore less distracted from the traffic situation. At the same time, the driver of the vehicle is prepared for reactions and/or actions that will be necessary subsequently, so that his reaction time until performing these subsequent actions is reduced. This is based on the finding that information which is made available for such a short period of time, for example, that it cannot be perceived consciously but is made available for such a long period of time that it is nevertheless perceived by the person unconsciously, is perceived at a subthreshold level and therefore affects his perception and/or behavior. By shortening the response time, it is possible in an advantageous manner to have a later output of the corresponding information for prompting a certain action and/or reaction in the conscious range of perception, so that more time is available to review the information output and reduce the incidence of false output in the conscious perception range. This increases the acceptance of such a warning and information system.
In one embodiment of the warning and information system according to the invention, an analyzer and control unit is provided to analyze signals from a sensor system and trigger and adjust the at least one signal source so that a stereo effect is obtained with directionally encoded signals. The sensor system in the vehicle may be, for example, longitudinal guidance support systems and/or lane-keeping support systems based on radar, infrared and/or image processing technologies.
In another embodiment of the invention, the at least one signal source also emits output signals above the conscious perception threshold. By combining consciously perceptible information with unconsciously perceived information it is possible to reduce further the response time of the driver of the vehicle.
The at least one signal source is designed, for example, as a light source and/or as a noise source. The output signals of these signal sources may be combined in any manner. For example, visual output signals in the conscious perception range and acoustic output signals in the subthreshold perception range may be emitted and vice versa. Furthermore, it is possible to combine visual and acoustic output signals in the subthreshold perception range with visual or acoustic output signals in the conscious perception range and/or visual or acoustic output signals in the subthreshold perception range with visual and acoustic output signals in the conscious perception range to shorten the response time of the driver of the vehicle.
In another embodiment of the warning and information system, the at least one light source emits electromagnetic radiation, e.g., light in the visible and/or invisible wavelength range.
In another embodiment of the warning and information system, the at least one sound source emits acoustic signals in the audible and/or inaudible wavelength range, in particular in the infrasonic range, comprising frequencies below 20 Hz.
In an advantageous embodiment of the warning and information system, a first light source is provided in the left peripheral field of vision of the user (e.g., in the left A-pillar) and a second light source is provided in the right peripheral field of vision of the user (e.g., in a right A-pillar). Additionally or alternatively, multiple light sources may also be provided as a light strip in an upper and/or lower and/or right and/or left area of a windshield.
The at least one sound source may be integrated into a head restraint, for example, and/or may be part of an audio system.
In an embodiment of the warning and information system, the at least one signal source generates warning signals to support the driver of the vehicle in transverse guidance of the vehicle.
Additionally or alternatively, the at least one signal source generates warning signals to support the driver of the vehicle in longitudinal guidance of the vehicle.
These and other features are derived not only from the claims but also from the description and the drawings, whereby the individual features may be implemented separately or together in the form of subcombinations in an embodiment of the invention and in other fields and may constitute advantageous embodiments.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.